BY JOSES SAREN
The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) has clarified that students in schools and Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres badly affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila in Western and Choiseul provinces are exempted from paying school and centre fees.
MEHRD yesterday corrected a press release it published on Monday this week which had caused confusion among parents, schools, and education authorities.
MEHRD confirmed that the exemption applies to students directly affected by the cyclone who are attending impacted schools or ECE centres in the disaster-affected areas, with the aim of ensuring no child is denied access to education due to financial hardship caused by TC Maila.
The Ministry also clarified that on-going data collection by Education Providers, PECOs, EPOs, schools, and ECE centres is for verification and record-keeping purposes only, and should not be interpreted as a sign that the exemption has not been approved.
“The Ministry’s position is clear: affected students in the badly impacted schools and ECE centres in Western and Choiseul Provinces are to be exempted from paying school and centre fees for the approved period,” the Ministry said.
MEHRD directed that all affected schools and ECE centres do not to send home, exclude, or deny attendance to any verified student due to non-payment of fees.
Schools are required to work with their education providers and provincial education authorities to verify affected students and maintain proper records of fee exemptions granted.
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